You may be in need of a bail bond if you end up in jail because of a criminal offense. You have not been tried or prosecuted for that crime, but you’ve been arrested. Bail bondsmen or agents are the ones you can speak to in order to pay your bail. Here’s how bail bonds work and why you may need one.

Bail

Bail gets set when you go to jail. This is an amount of money that you must pay to be released. Basically, this price ensures you’ll show up again for your trial. The more serious your crime, the higher the amount for your bail. It prevents people from fleeing, like a judiciary form of insurance. You will get your money back when you show up to your court date.

Bail Bonds

If you cannot afford to pay the amount of your bail, you aren’t alone. Many people can’t afford to pay the courts thousands of dollars in cash. As a result, they enlist the help of a bail bondsman. You can find a bail bonds company online by researching those in your county, such as Lancaster County bail bonds. To get a bail bond, you must provide a certain amount of the bail up front to the bail bond agency, as well as anything else that can act as collateral. The agent posts your bail for you with the guarantee that you’ll show up for court or they can take that collateral.

Returning the Bail

When you arrive at court, any money you paid is returned to you and the bail bond no longer applies. The bail bondsman keeps the percentage you paid initially, but that is all. If you do not appear, the collateral will be used to pay the courts and the bail bondsman. It is up to you if you get your money back or not.